London Bridge

Lore & Background

The first London Bridge was built by the Romans as part of their road-building programme, to help consolidate their conquest. It is possible that Roman military engineers built a pontoon type bridge at the site during the conquest period (AD 43). The Roman roads leading to and from London were probably built around AD 50, and the river-crossing was possibly served by a permanent timber bridge. The bridge may have been destroyed along with the town in the Boudican revolt (AD 60), but Londinium was rebuilt and eventually became the administrative and mercantile capital of Roman Britain. With the end of Roman rule in Britain in the early 5th century, Londinium was gradually abandoned and the bridge fell into disrepair. The bridge may have been rebuilt by Alfred the Great soon after the Battle of Edington, or it may have been rebuilt around 990 under the Saxon king Æthelred the Unready. The earliest contemporary written reference to a Saxon bridge is c. 1016, when chroniclers mention how Cnut's ships bypassed the crossing during his war to regain the throne from Edmund Ironside.

Reader's Guide

The medieval stone bridge, completed in 1209, was about 926 feet (282 metres) long, and had nineteen piers, supported by timber piles. The piers were linked above by nineteen arches and a wooden drawbridge. The bridge, including the part occupied by houses, was from 20 to 24 feet (6.1 to 7.3 metres) wide. The numerous starlings restricted the river's tidal ebb and flow; the difference in water levels on the two sides of the bridge could be as much as 6 feet (1.8 m), producing ferocious rapids between the piers resembling a weir. Until Putney Bridge opened in 1729, London Bridge was the only road crossing of the Thames downstream of Kingston upon Thames. The modern bridge, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It is owned and maintained by Bridge House Estates, an independent charity of medieval origin overseen by the City of London Corporation. It carries the A3 road, which is maintained by the Greater London Authority.

Did You Know?

• The medieval bridge had a chapel at its centre dedicated to Thomas Becket, built by the penitent Henry II.
• The difference in water levels on the two sides of the medieval bridge could be as much as 6 feet (1.8 m), producing ferocious rapids.
• Until Putney Bridge opened in 1729, London Bridge was the only road crossing of the Thames downstream of Kingston upon Thames.
• The current bridge stands 30 metres (98 ft) upstream from previous alignments.
• The bridge is owned and maintained by Bridge House Estates, an independent charity of medieval origin overseen by the City of London Corporation.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

- A common misconception is that there has only been one London Bridge. In fact, the name refers to several historical crossings, including a Roman-era bridge, a medieval structure that lasted 600 years, a 19th-century stone-arched bridge, and the current box girder bridge opened in 1973. - Some believe the nursery rhyme "London Bridge Is Falling Down" refers to the current bridge, but the medieval bridge—which had a chapel, homes, and businesses—is the one most associated with the rhyme and its history of decay and rebuilding. - It is often thought that London Bridge has always been the only Thames crossing in central London, but records show that until Putney Bridge opened in 1729, it was the only road crossing downstream of Kingston upon Thames.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

London Bridge endures as a symbol of London’s resilience and continuity, having been rebuilt multiple times from the Roman era to the 20th century while remaining a vital river crossing. Its presence in nursery rhymes, poetry like T. S. Eliot’s *The Waste Land*, and its role as a hub for commerce and daily life reflect how a physical structure can anchor a city’s identity across millennia, bridging not just two banks but also past and present.